Mariel Vazquez

Mariel Vázquez is a Professor of Mathematics and Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of California, Davis. Her research integrates topological methods, polymer physics, and molecular biology to study DNA structure, viral evolution, and chromosomal organization. She holds joint appointments in the Departments of Mathematics and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, and leads the Topological Molecular Biology Lab.

Education: B.Sc. in Mathematics (1994, National Autonomous University of Mexico); Ph.D. in Mathematical Biology (2000, Florida State University). Awards include AAAS Fellow (2024) and NSF CAREER Award (2015). Her work focuses on DNA topology, R-loop formation, and coronavirus evolution using tools like knot theory, Monte Carlo simulations, and topological data analysis.

Key research areas include: DNA packing in bacteriophages, chromosomal aberrations in cancer, and computational models of viral evolution. She collaborates on projects like predicting R-loop formation via formal grammars and analyzing SARS-CoV-2 mutation landscapes. Her lab also develops novel knot tables and symmetry-driven nomenclature for topological studies.

Advocacy: Committed to diversity in STEM, she co-founded initiatives like the Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Science (CAMPOS) and published on challenges faced by early-career Latinas in academia. Her work bridges interdisciplinary research with educational outreach to underrepresented groups.